Mayor Ed Lee: Say No to Stop Frisk for San Francisco

Recently, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced that he is considering adopting a stop-and-frisk policy for the City and County of San Francisco. This policy would give police officers the legal right to stop and frisk any individual they deem suspicious - similar to infamous policy used by the NYPD. Furthermore, this could give officers the right to detain any individual and perform a search.

Simply put, this initiative would directly affect young minorities of color, legitimize and legalize racial discrimination and profiling, and set a precedent that damages our constitution. The Fourth Amendment protects us against unreasonable search and seizures - however, this policy allows the disregard of “probable cause." Many of us who are San Francisco natives grew up in the Bayview and Western Addition communities of San Francisco, and we know this policy would have a negative impact on our community and do little to stop violence.

Even San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr, disagrees with the city adopting a stop-and-frisk policy, saying: "We do not racially profile in San Francisco. And we never will."

Will you join other around San Francisco and the rest of the United States by Standing for Civil Rights?

Collectively our voices will be heard - join us today! We say “NO” to “Stop-and-Frisk” in San Francisco.

Theo Ellington, Black Young Dems of San Francisco

Letter to

Mayor of San FranciscoEd Lee

I’m writing today to ask that you do not implement a stop-and-frisk policy in San Francisco. As a San Francisco resident, I am concerned that this policy will directly affect young minorities of color, legitimize and legalize racial discrimination and profiling, and set precedents that will damage our constitution.

Stop-and-Frisk is a direct affront to our rights. The fourth Amendment protects us against unreasonable search and seizures – however, this policy allows the disregard of “probable cause.” Historically San Franciscans are forerunners in ensuring the protection of Civil Rights and the social justice arena. This policy would be a setback to that work.

In a recent NYCLU report, New York City’s stop-and-frisk policy has disproportionately impacted black and latino youth. Over the past decade statistics show that of all New Yorkers stopped 54% were African American, 32% Latino, and 12% white. Over half of these people stopped and searched were between the ages 14-24 years of age. This isn’t needed in our great city.

While I applaud your concern for reducing violence in San Francisco, this policy is not the way to achieve that and I encourage you to listen to Police Chief Greg Suhr and many other residents and community members: stop-and-frisk is not the policy that San Francisco needs to reduce violent crime.